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Feminist reading of the house on mango street
Sandra cisneros writings
Feminist reading of the house on mango street
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There are multiple lessons we learn throughout the years we live, whether it be from a book or our friends and family. The book The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, is the coming-of-age story of Esperanza Cordero who goes through the hero’s journey. Throughout Esperanza’s life of living on Mango Street, she discovers the many realities life has to offer. Esperanza learns that sexual attention is dangerous and unwanted, to not stop what she is doing if she feels like she does not belong, and some things in life are not what you expect it to be through her own experiences and the experience the people and things around her go through. Esperanza learns that sexual attention is unwanted and dangerous through her experiences. For …show more content…
example, in the chapter “The Family of Little Feet” Esperanza, Rachel, and Lucy did not complain when their high heels were thrown away. This shows that Esperanza did not want the high heels. Before the high heels were thrown away, Esperanza, Rachel, and Lucy were strolling around Mango Street in their high heels and caused a bum to be sexually attracted to them because of the heels they were wearing. Esperanza did not care about the heels because they attracted sexual attention, therefore she does not want sexual attention. In addition, in the chapter “Red Clowns” Esperanza gets sexually assaulted. This shows Esperanza experiences dangerous sexual activity. During the chapter, Esperanza cries for help as she gets assaulted by a group of boys, but nobody came. Through this experience she learns that sexual activity is dangerous. Esperanza learns that sexual attention is dangerous and unwanted. Also, Esperanza learns to not stop what she is doing if she feels like she does not belong. For example, in the chapter “Four Skinny Trees” the skinny trees inspire Esperanza to keep keeping through tough times. This shows that Esperanza learns to persevere. In this chapter, Esperanza figures since the trees that do not belong despite the concrete, grow and grow, reach and do not forget to reach, she believes she could do the same and keep keeping. In addition, in the chapter “A Smart Cookie” Esperanza’s mom is telling her she left school because of the clothes she wore, and that is the reason why she is where she is. This shows she left school because she felt like she did not belong. Esperanza’s mom tells her this story to inspire her to keep studying and stay in school even if she feels like she does not belong. Esperanza learns to not stop what she is doing if she feels like she does not belong through the experiences of people and things around her go through. She learns that some things in life are not what you expect it to be.
This can be interpreted in a positive and negative way. For example, in the chapter “Gil’s Furniture Bought & Sold” Esperanza overhears Nenny and Gil talking about a music box she thought to be a pretty pink box with a tiny ballerina inside, but was only to find a wooden box that’s old and has a big brass record in it with holes and unexpectedly plays something so beautiful. This shows that Esperanza did not expect something beautiful to come out of something so old and dull looking. Through this experience she learns that she should not judge a book by its cover. In addition, in the chapter “A Rice Sandwich” Esperanza realizes the canteen in her school is not as special as she thought it was. This shows she expected greater things when she was finally able to eat in the canteen. Instead of a glamorous, special place Esperanza hoped that it would be, it turned out to be a place where tears were shed and hopes had disappeared. Esperanza learns that some things are not what you expect through the experiences she went …show more content…
through. Just because a fictional character learns life-lessons from a fictional world does not mean we can not apply them to our everyday lives too.
For example, dressing appropriately in public knowing that certain things we wear attract sexual attention. This shows that the lesson of sexual attention being dangerous can be applied to our lives. Sexual attention is dangerous, especially for teens and little kids, and it is this lesson that will save them from being sexually assaulted. In addition, to keep studying in college/school even if you feel like you do not belong. This shows how the lesson of to keep keeping could be applied to our lives. There has been studies that college freshmen drop out of college because they feel like they do not belong there, but with this lesson and a little perseverance the college freshmen would be on their way to reach their goals. Also, for example, to not take first impressions for granted or to not judge a book by its cover. This shows how to apply the lesson of not everything you see is what you expect. Whenever someone new is introduced into your life, you always make a first impression of them, no doubt about it. Whether it be a good impression or bad impression, there is always something stopping you from talking to them or getting to know them because of one silly assumption we made, but who's to say that assumption is correct? With this lesson we would still make our silly assumptions about this person, but knowing this
lesson will actually have a higher chance of us meeting this person and proving our assumptions wrong since first impressions are always something we expect of them. The lessons from The House on Mango Street can be applied to our everyday lives. The book The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros shows the lessons of sexual attention, persevering, and unexpectedness. These lessons are revealed through the many experiences Esperanza and her family and friends go through. Life-lessons can be, and are taught through many different ways.
The House on Mango Street is a novel by Sandra Cisneros. It is set in a poor, Latino neighborhood around 1960. The main character, Esperanza, is expected to get married in order to support herself. However, Esperanza strives for independence, and seeks to end the cycle of abusive patriarchy that holds Mango Street in thrall. Through the use of syntax and figurative language, Cisneros establishes that a sense of not belonging can fuel an individual’s desire for a better future.
In the book, Esperanza doesn’t want to follow the norms of the life around her; she wants to be independent. Esperanza states her independence by stating, “Not a man’s house. Not a daddy’s. A house all my own,” (Cisneros 108.) The syntax of these sentences stick out and are not complete thoughts, yet they convey much meaning and establish Esperanza’s feeling of not belonging. Esperanza’s feeling of not belonging is also emphasized when her sisters tell her that the events of her life have made her who she is and that is something she can not get rid of. Her sisters explain that the things she has experienced made her who she is by saying, “You will always be esperanza. You will always be mango street. You can’t erase what you know” (105.) What her sisters are trying to tell her is that the past has changed her but it doesn’t have to be a negative thing; it can be used to make her a better person who is stronger and more independent. Esperanza realizes that the things around her don’t really add up to what she believes is right, which also conveys the sense of not
In an earlier chapter, Esperanza meets with a witch, whom she hopes will tell her future only to be told, “Come back again on a Thursday when the stars are stronger” (72). However, when speaking to The Three Sisters toward the end of the story, they tell her to make a wish and say “You will always be Esperanza. You will always be Mango Street” (113). Rather than seek out her fate, the Fates (three sisters from Greek Mythology) have come seeking Esperanza. It has been confirmed that her wish to leave will come true, but remind her to remember her experiences as they have shaped who she is. In the article, “Interview with Sandra Cisneros”, Cisneros will tell her students to “make a list of the things that make you different from anyone in this room...in your community...your family...your gender (1). Cisneros uses this very idea in her writings of Esperanza: Her individuality is key- Esperanza’s identity as a writer and her background give her a unique voice that will allow her to speak up for those who have no
Esperanza finally comes to the conclusion that she does not need to fit into the mold of Mango Street. She also realizes that by making her own world, she can do bigger and better things and come back to help others on Mango Street. Not everybody can fit into the same mold and Esperanza made her own. . Esperanza leaving shows that she is a leader and hopefully she will have the others from Mango Street follow in her path. Maybe other people will fit into Esperanza’s mold or they will use her as an example. Esperanza used the other women as an example to make something of herself so all of the negative people she meets and has in her life, they made her the person she wanted to be.
In the poor slums of Chicago, a family living in poverty struggles to get by. In the book, House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, Esperanza is a twelve year old girl who lives with her family in the Windy City. She lives with her three siblings and both parents on Mango Street. Esperanza has no control over her life and family’s poverty. People who have no control over their life desperately seek change. Esperanza seeks to change her name, her home, and her destiny as a way to control her life.
The author of The House on Mango Street and the producer of The Color Purple are able to integrate numerous important thematic ideas. Many of these ideas still apply to our current world, teaching various important lessons to many adolescents and adults. The House on Mango Street is a collection of vignettes written by Sandra Cisneros, a Mexican-American writer. The novel depicts many aspects of Sandra Cisneros’ life including racism, and sexism that she and the main character face. The novel revolves around Esperanza Cordero, a young Latina girl, who is growing up in Chicago as she faces the various struggles of living in America. The various vignettes reveal many experiences Esperanza has with reality and her navie responses to such harsh
Esperanza is relying on her childhood to help her through life she feels like “a red balloon tied to an anchor” (9,1,3) This passage describes that Esperanza singles herself out for her differences instead of her similarities and she knows it. She also sees her differences as a source of her isolating herself. She floats in the sky for all of the rest of us to see, dangling from a string. Esperanza is longing on for an escape like a balloon similar to her experiences with our society. However against the face that Cisneroz gives her a light voice, doesn't mean that it's not just as strong and
Life as a kid is effortless, where the only motive is to have fun. Some people never want to have responsibility and complexity that comes with being an adult as they realize they must take accountability sometime. Likewise in "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros, Esperanza tries her best to avoid is renegade against the normal expectations of women on Mango Street. Esperanza's only way to avoid having to become part of the adult world around her, is by entering The Monkey Garden where she gets to be a kid. Esperanza's depiction of the serene and carefree descriptions of the garden contrast the confused and disturbed attitude Esperanza has towards Sally and the boys' game. As she finally realizes she cannot remain a kid forever, Esperanza feel alienated and alone.
The plot of The House on Mango Street symbolizes an immigrant family moving to the United States in hope of a future with more opportunities. It is a story about a girl by the name of Esperanza and the retelling of the events in her childhood. Esperanza faces many challenges growing up in an underdeveloped neighborhood of inner city Chicago. Through her experiences at home, school, and with people she starts to blossom into the young woman she always wanted to be. Esperanza encounters many unjust acts as a result of living in an urban neighborhood. These encounters make her want to move to a different neighborhood because she feels like she does not belong on Mango Street. She feels trapped because she has a dream to attend college and become a writer. Her hope is that she will be able to live a prosperous American life and be able to come back to Mango Street to help those who cannot escape on their own. It is, most importantly, the story of a girl maturing into a woman an...
At first, Esperanza is young, insecure, and immature. Her immaturity is apparent when she talks about her mom holding her, saying it is, “sweet to put your nose into when she is holding you and you feel safe” (Cisneros 6-7). This shows Esperanza’s insecurity because her mom is still a big comfort source to her. She feels a false sense of comfort because her mom is there and will protect her. In addition, Esperanza’s immaturity is shown through her dislike for outsiders of the neighborhood when she says, “They are stupid people who are lost and got here by mistake” (Cisneros 28). This indicates how defensive and protective Esperanza is towards her barrio by calling outsiders stupid for reacting the way they do, even though she dislikes Mango Street....
In class we read the book House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, the main character Esperanza lives in a lower working class neighborhood and street called Mango Street dealing with poverty. Her house is an important symbol in House on Mango Street. It represents Eperanza’s process of maturing as a person and the change in her perspective of poverty and struggle being shameful, to it being something to embrace and use as motivation. This is a very important part of the story because it is in many aspects where we are from that make us who we become. This is interesting to see in the book as her opinions and perspective of things inside and outside of her neighborhood are shaped by her experiences.
The House on Mango Street depicts the role of woman as she grows up. Her poems demonstrate the role of woman in an unjust society. All together the stories of poverty, crime, sex, rape marriage all dealing with woman become the reason why she decides to stay connected with her cultural traditions, but also give her motivation to find a better life. She feels like she has a responsibility to return, because no one else will help these women. Esperanza dedicates this book to the woman, she addresses her book to larger community of woman. She wants them to find their place,their identity. As Esperanza accepts her past, she knows that she wil...
In the vignette "a rice sandwich" Esperanza shows her embarrassment and sadness for her family's poverty. "That one? She said, pointing to a row of ugly three-flats, that even the raggedy men are ashamed to go into. Yes, I nodded even though I knew that was not my house and started to cry." (Cisneros, 45). This quote really portrays Esperanza's sadness. Even though, Esperanza knew that was not her house she started to cry
There are varieties of symbol that appears in the house on mango street, all of them have different use to the novella. Here are some representative symbols.
In The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, conflict is utilized to present the notion that the challenges we face in our lives contribute to the shaping of our identity. This idea is presented early in the novel when readers are introduced to the root of Esperanza’s conflicts – her house on Mango Street. This street is where the novel takes place, and it is where a patriarchal society thrives, thus making it a primary conflict that Esperanza, along with other women, must deal with. This problem is first addressed when Esperanza explains the meaning behind her name: “It was my great-grandmother’s name and now it is mine. She was a horse woman too, born like me in the Chinese year of the horse – which is supposed to be bad luck if you’re born female – but I think this is a